Love's Crown
by Totally-Out-Of-It
Summary: While hiking to Arthur's mother's old cabin for a weekend getaway, his friends ask why Arthur hasn't just married his boyfriend Merlin yet. Modern AU with magic.


**Love's Crown**

_While hiking to Arthur's mother's old cabin for a weekend getaway, his friends ask why Arthur hasn't just married his boyfriend Merlin yet. Modern AU with magic.  
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Written for alessariel for the tumblr wedding/engagement prompt of "i jokingly told you that the only way i'd marry you was if you did this weird outlandish thing, and you actually did it, and i'm kind of charmed." It's not quite to prompt, but I hope you like it.

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"Come on, slow pokes! We're only half way there!" Arthur called down the path behind him. "You can't possibly be tired yet!"

Coming up the path were his three best friends – Lancelot, Gwaine, and Elyan. His sister's new boyfriend, Mordred, was closer to him than anyone, as if he had something to prove by being the best. Arthur's own boyfriend, Merlin, was barely visible as he came around the bend in the path, already looking done with this trip and everything related to it.

Well, that wasn't a new expression on him. Merlin was usually done with Arthur's plans almost as soon as he made them. It was one of the things Arthur enjoyed about him, actually. He didn't take Arthur's shit and voiced his objections when he had them.

When he caught Arthur watching him, Merlin raised an eyebrow and stopped panting long enough to scowl. Arthur sent him a cheeky grin in return. Merlin shook his head, his expression grudgingly fond, and kept walking.

"I kind of envy you."

Arthur jumped, not having realized Mordred had caught up to him. "Besides the obvious," he said, "why?"

Mordred waved back toward Merlin. "Maybe it's because you've been together a long time, but the way you can communicate without words…I hope one day Morgana and I understand each other that well."

Before Arthur could respond, his friends caught up.

"Actually," Lancelot said, "they've been doing that since the day they met."

"It was creepy," Gwaine agreed with a firm nod. "And the tension between them that day…I swear, I couldn't tell if you were going to beat each other up or start having sex right there in the hallway."

Arthur blanched. "Gwaine!" he rebuked. "We were twelve!"

Gwaine shrugged. "What's your point?"

With a huff, Arthur turned and kept walking, just as Merlin caught up with the group as well.

Once a year, Arthur and his friends left the city behind and went on a hike up to an old cabin that used to belong to Arthur's mother's family. It had been left to Arthur when she died and he'd come up every year since he was child to enjoy the quiet and pretend he had no responsibilities other than having fun and relaxing. He used to come with his father and sister, but neither of them liked it very much and when he was old enough to come on his own, they stopped coming with him.

The cabin was isolated because it was located in a valley just at the bottom of the Mountains of Isgaro, where the dragons lived. No transportation came out this far and there were no roads, only the odd hiking trail carved out by people trying to catch a glimpse of a dragon or stupidly trying to steal their treasure.

Arthur knew this forest like the back of his hand. His friends did too, since they usually came with him when he ventured out here. He knew how to avoid the dragons, where the best defensive spots were, where they liked to take their young to hunt. He had glimpsed a dragon's hoard before, all glittering jewels and books and precious things, but ran away when he heard its keeper returning to guard it.

Merlin loved dragons. It was why Arthur had first invited the younger man out here when they were still in school. Merlin took Arthur's knowledge of the forest and used it to go spy on dragons – usually alone, which gave Arthur heart attacks and would surely kill him one day.

The path they were on came up from the nearest road, curved around the edge of the mountains, and then trailed down toward the cabin and the river. It took about two and a half hours to make the hike. Being halfway meant they were about as close to the dragons as a person would feasibly want to ever be, about a hundred feet below a cave and separated by sheer rock face. The dragon shouldn't bother them, because no one could climb the cliff and reach its home without either magic or mechanical assistance.

"I think what Gwaine meant," Lancelot broached a minute or so later, "is that it's been obvious since the day you two met that you were going to be together. Like it was destiny."

Arthur scoffed. He didn't like that word – destiny. It insinuated that he had no control over his life, and Arthur hated not having control. He'd spent too long bending to his father's every whim to let someone else make his choices for him now.

"You've been dating for over ten years now, right? Why aren't you married yet?" Mordred asked.

It was a simple question, asked out of pure curiosity, but it made Arthur stop walking abruptly. Mordred nearly ran into him but took a step to the side instead.

"I don't need to be married to know I love someone," Arthur stated.

A glance to the back of the group revealed Merlin's flushed face, and it wasn't from exertion. Arthur rarely said the 'L' word in private, let alone aloud among other people. Merlin began walking around Lancelot to get to Arthur as Gwaine sighed.

"And jus' cause people are married don't mean they don't," the scruffy male said, then pointed at Lancelot. "You think this romantic sap don't really love Gwen?"

"Of course not," Arthur snapped.

It was clear to anyone with eyes that Lancelot and Guinevere were madly in love. It was almost nauseating. They wrote each other poetry and had picnics in the park under large oak trees, took vacations at the beach, snuggled when watching movies, kissed each other hello and goodbye and whenever the feeling hit, held hands, and stared at each other like the sun rose and set in their eyes.

Elyan clapped a hand on Mordred's shoulder, drawing his confused gaze. "Arthur's parents got divorced when he was still a baby," he informed the youngest of their group quietly, though they all could hear it in the quiet mountain air.

"An' my parents are still married but bicker daily about everythin'," Gwaine noted flippantly. "It still stands that most couples who get married do it cause they love each other and you shouldn' be scared of it."

Arthur glared. "I'm not _scared_ of getting married, Gwaine," he rumbled.

Gwaine grabbed Merlin by the shoulders. "Then why's there no ring on this man's finger, eh?"

Arthur was pleased to see Merlin turn his head and glare at Gwaine too. "Why am I the proposee in this? Why can't I propose? I could propose," he insisted.

"No one is going to propose," Arthur interjected, "because we're not getting married."

He tried to turn and keep walking, wishing he hadn't brought his friends along this time. Already he could feel that this would not be the relaxing weekend it usually was.

"What would you do if Merlin proposed?" Lancelot asked, voice quiet even in the silence, and Arthur's feet halted. "If he had spent hours looking for the right ring and planning the perfect moment and he got down on one knee and proposed?"

"Lancelot," Arthur started, but his friend's gaze made the words stick in his throat. It was rare to see Lancelot so serious and intent.

"Would you reject him, Arthur?" Lancelot continued.

Reject Merlin? Arthur couldn't even deny Merlin the last piece of bread at a restaurant or his favorite food when they shopped for groceries or just one more donation to a children's charity or a goodnight kiss. What would he do if Merlin proposed?

He felt a blush creeping up into his cheeks at the image of Merlin holding up a ring and shook his head, clearing his throat.

Merlin wasn't going to propose. Lancelot was just trying to make a point. The thought made Arthur feel colder inside somehow.

"That's not the point, Lance," Arthur said, voice coming out quieter than he'd intended.

"I think it is the point," Elyan broke in, taking a step closer. Gwaine leaned against the cliff and crossed his arms. "I know that your dad wasn't the nicest guy," Arthur almost flinched, "and that you don't like talking about your feelings…But we all know you love Merlin, and that he loves you," he shot a glance at Merlin this time, "and that you're going to be together until one of your dies, so we don't understand why you haven't made it official yet."

Again, Merlin broke in, raising a finger like he was about to give a lecture to one of his students. "Who says we didn't? Maybe we signed a wedding certificate without telling anyone. Maybe that vacation we took last year was a honeymoon. Maybe we've been hiding it. You'd never know."

Everyone gave Merlin a version of a 'you've got to be joking' look, Arthur included.

"Uh, no," Gwaine said with a single shake of his head and a grin.

Elyan held up a finger too. "One, you're a terrible liar, so you'd never keep that secret for long. Two," two fingers, "following Arthur on one of his business trips to Leeds hardly counts as a honeymoon, and Leon was there besides. And lastly," three fingers, "you're too kind to not invite us to the wedding."

"And Princess here's got too big an ego to not have a fancy ceremony."

Mostly they pretended they didn't hear Gwaine.

Merlin sort of deflated at having his suggestions shot down but Arthur appreciated the assistance anyway. He lightly touched Merlin's arm, earning him a small, private smile that said Merlin understood.

Mordred let out a soft, jealous sounding sigh at the sight and Lancelot adjusted the straps of his pack with a slight huff. "Gwen and I can't communicate the way you two do, and we're actually married," Lancelot pointed out. Arthur turned to give him more attention. "In all the ways that matter, you and Merlin are married. You just need to make it official."

Just like that, Arthur's aggravation returned. "Why are you so insistent that we get married?"

After a glance at the group, Mordred said, "We just want you to be happy, Arthur. You and Merlin both."

Arthur threw his hands in the air. "We are happy!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the rocks. "Not being married doesn't mean not being happy!"

"Arthur," Merlin said, and Arthur felt his anger subside a bit, even as Merlin cast the others a warning glance. He'd always thought it amazing that a single word from Merlin could either incite rage or quell it, as if Merlin had a switch for Arthur's emotions and all he had to do was flip it one way or the other.

"Merlin is my emergency contact if anything happens to me, and I'm his. We have wills naming each other beneficiaries. We live in the same house. We sleep in the same bed. Both of our families show up at holiday events. What more do you want?" he asked, sounding weary now.

For a moment, no one said anything. They just stood there, in the literal shadow of a dragon's home, staring at each other.

"To call you husbands," Gwaine said at last.

"To have the world recognize you the way we do," Elyan added.

"For Morgana to stop planning your nonexistent wedding." They all looked at Mordred and he shrugged. "What?"

Arthur sighed. "I understand what you're saying. I do," he said. "But we don't even want to get married. We're happy the way we are." Lancelot opened his mouth, an uneasy look on his face, but Arthur barreled on. "So you should be too. Focus on your own relationships instead of ours for a bit."

Gwaine snorted from his place against the rocks. "You say that. Then, next thing you know, you'll be proposing in the Queen's Gardens."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to propose, Gwaine. And definitely not in the Queen's Gardens."

"And if Merlin proposes some day?" Lancelot brought up again.

With a heavy sigh, Arthur looked at Merlin. Merlin's blue eyes were alert and wary, like he wasn't sure of what was going to happen but he was mentally preparing himself for every possible outcome. Arthur saw this expression every year before the first day of the new school year and when breaks ended, if Merlin had to speak on stage, right before Arthur's father ever came into a room. A few words from Arthur usually dispelled it and gave him confidence.

"Merlin isn't going to propose," Arthur said, looking back at his friends. Merlin looked too worried to be proposing.

"But if he did-" Lancelot tried once more, and Arthur scowled.

"But he won't! Look, if Merlin wanted to propose, he'd do something crazy. He'd-," Arthur cast around for the words he wanted. His eyes landed on the ridge above their heads. "He'd climb into a dragon's cave and steal me a ring."

"Arthur!" the other four men gasped in unison, shock on their faces.

Arthur let himself look and feel smug. "Exactly. And we all know how crazy and stupid that is, so let's just keep-"

His words got caught in his throat when he saw Merlin stiffen beside him. Then, before he could fully register the change, Merlin had rushed at the cliff and was already climbing toward the cave.

"Merlin!" he shouted, a half second before the others did the same.

Amazingly, Merlin was already halfway up the cliff. Arthur had never known him to be so athletic. But that meant Merlin was halfway to facing down a dragon for treasure, and no one survived stealing from a dragon – at least not for long.

With a startled cry, Arthur grabbed at the stone and starting pulling himself up after his boyfriend. He only got a few feet before sliding back down. "Shit. Merlin! Stop!"

Gwaine was also trying to climb up the cliff, with the same success as Arthur. "Merlin! Don't be stupid, he's not worth it!" he shouted.

Merlin didn't stop. He reached the top of the cliff and began pulling himself over the edge.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled again, still trying and failing to get a foothold in the rock. How was Merlin climbing so well?! "Dammit! Why can't I-"

"There's nothing to grab," Elyan murmured, examining the cliff for ways up. He liked rock climbing for fun. "How did he get up there?"

Arthur spun on him with fire in his eyes. "What does it matter?! We need to get up there too before he gets himself killed! Help me!" he ordered. He turned his gaze on Mordred, who took a hesitant step backward. "You've got magic, right? Get us up there!"

Mordred shook his head. "It's not that kind of-I'm a pediatrician!"

A roar broke the quiet of the forest and froze the blood in Arthur's veins.

Gwaine growled. "Well, doc, we might need your expertise in a minute." He kicked the mountain and shouted in frustration. "Merlin!"

Fire burst out from the ledge above them, so hot they began to sweat even one hundred feet below. All the strength went out of Arthur's legs and he crashed to his knees, barely keeping himself up with his arms.

"Oh god," he breathed out.

They were all silent, listening and waiting for some sign, but Arthur's chest was already tight and heavy. Why had he said something so stupid?! Why had he said dragon treasure?! If he'd known Merlin would do it, he never would've mentioned dragons. He knew Merlin was stupid when it came to the dragons! He knew! But he'd thought-Merlin got tired _hiking_ so he'd figured-but then Merlin had-

Arthur couldn't breathe.

Elyan and Mordred dropped down on either side of him and Arthur realized he was gasping frantically, clutching the dirt under his fingers. Elyan began rubbing his back, trying to calm him down, while Mordred began looking Arthur over like he was one of his child patients.

"I'm sure he's fine, Arthur," Elyan said quietly, not meeting Arthur's eyes. "He'll be right back. He's fine."

Elyan and Mordred locked eyes and seemed to communicate their lack of faith in those statements. If only they had done that where Arthur couldn't see it.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Lancelot murmured. Gwaine was pacing up and down the pathway, trying again to climb up every few steps. "I shouldn't have pushed."

"We were all pushing," Elyan said with a shake of his head.

By Lancelot's expression, that didn't provided him any comfort, nor did it make Arthur feel any better. Lancelot shut his eyes and looked pained for a moment.

"He was going to propose," he breathed out. Arthur's racing heart seemed to stop beating entirely. "This weekend, he wanted to propose, but he was worried you'd say no." Lancelot opened his eyes and looked at Arthur like he was punishing himself. "I was just trying to help."

If he had spent hours looking for the right ring and planning the perfect moment…

And Arthur got him killed because of his own childish fears. Lancelot looked like he was expecting Arthur to shout at him, blame him, reject him, but the only person Arthur was upset with was himself. All his comments about marriage…No, the only person with blame was Arthur. Merlin might have been stupid to try stealing from a dragon, but it had been Arthur who put him in that corner with only one way out.

The dragon roared again, and there was a blast of wind as it shot out from the cave into the sky above their heads. Everyone tensed and looked up except Arthur. Only when they all gasped was he able to lift his head and watch the dragon curve overhead. They all saw the person sitting on its back and forgot to move when the great beast suddenly dove down toward them.

It was bright red and as big as a house, and it crushed the trees to the side of the path when it landed without seeming to feel them. It laid as close to the ground as possible to let Merlin slide off its back, but Merlin slid nearly face planted when his feet hit the ground. He gave the dragon a pat on the neck and said something in a language Arthur didn't recognize. The dragon let out a pleased sounding rumble and then took off again, retreating back into its cave without further incident.

Merlin turned to face them and clamored through the broken brush to get back to the path. No one had said a word by the time he reached them, but Arthur had managed to regain his feet – though he still felt unsteady.

Merlin reached Arthur and, without so much as a pause, dropped onto one knee. He looked up at Arthur with one of his most innocent and yet sneaky grins. "I planned on doing this at the cabin, but since you insisted," he began playfully, and Arthur was shocked at the small snort that escaped him. "Arthur Pendragon, I climbed into a dragon's cave for you. Yvannia didn't have any wedding rings, or rings for fingers of any size, so I hope you'll accept this much bigger ring in its place."

From behind his back, Merlin pulled a golden crown. It was simple, nothing like the heavy embroidered thing used to crown monarchs today. There were no emeralds or rubies adorning it, only a single imperial topaz that glimmered in the midday light.

Arthur couldn't breathe again, but for an entirely different reason.

When Arthur didn't immediately answer, Merlin's grin withered. He glanced from Arthur to the crown in his hands and said, voice almost clear of disappointment but not quite. "Maybe it's too small for your fat head."

Arthur laughed. He couldn't help it. Everyone' eyes snapped up to him in surprise, including Merlin's. Arthur kept laughing until it hurt and he had to clutch his stomach to stay upright.

He couldn't believe it. Merlin had gone to a dragon's cave and survived. Merlin was proposing. Merlin was offering him a bloody _crown_ and proposing! And he was insulting him while he did it!

Arthur grabbed Merlin by the wrists and pulled him to his feet, then took the crown from him. With the crown in his left hand and grasping Merlin by the back of his neck with his right hand, Arthur beamed.

"Would you like a spring or winter wedding?"

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fin.


End file.
